Parents Just Don't Understand: #201

November 2, 2011

Do your parents not understand technology? Do they ask you stupid questions? Do they send you absurd text messages? If you've got an example of your "Parents Just Don't Understanding", submit it here!
And thank God we'll never be as dumb as they are!

I asked my 76 year old Dad to put in his password on his computer in order to open it up. He said he tried but it always turned out to be just "X's."Chris German

Mom: You sure you don't want to come to Hayward with us? You can do your homework in the car can't you? Me: I need the internet to do research.Mom: Then let's take the internet with us.Me: Chizuru M

Every professor I have ever had for any class, without fail, does not know about the full screen button on youtube videos.Sera S

My grandfather never downloads anything to his computer at all because he is scared he might download a virus by accident. One day my little brother decided to play some flash games on a website, and my grandfather walked in and then started yelling at him for downloading the games and asking how much he paid for them. Then he quickly shut the computer down because "Maybe the payment hadn't reached the other end yet and I will be able to get my money back."

Also my mother who is a writer has a freakishly old computer that is too slow to do anything, and slows down when doing simple things like updating her blog. I keep trying to tell her to upgrade, but she doesn't want to have to "learn the new system," and when I tell her to at least use a web browser other than internet explorer she says "If I don't use the internet then i will get a virus!"herp mcderpinstein

My mother-in-law got "one of those smart andro-phones." She was trying to figure out how to set up her voicemail but couldn't figure out how to display the on-screen number pad. What resulted was a voicemail greeting that says "Debbie .. (long pause) .. That's not what i wanted!!"

I love her.Dan O

While at my parents' house, my grandfather was saying that he wanted "to internet." After explaining to him that its called the internet and you don't go "internet-ing," he asked how it worked. So after explaining to him that you type in the names of websites or search for web sites in order to read and watch stuff that interests you, he tried for four hours to master the use of the mouse and keyboard. Afterwards, he remarked that he just needed more practice. So I unplugged the keyboard from the desktop and he headed to his room where you can at times hear the sound of him typing, at like 200 wpm. When asked what he's typing, he'll reply: "Oh, nothing, just practicing."Joshua G.

My Dad types holding his glasses in one hand and uses just his pointer finger with the other.Zack W from IU

My professor cannot seem to understand the concept of the "back" button. She'll go to the website she wants, click whatever links to whatever pages on the website, and then, instead of pushing "back" to go back to the original website home screen, she closes out of the browser, opens a new one, types in the address and continues on from there, multiple times during each lecture.Brittannie Ball from Appalachian State

When I send my dad a text, he sends me an empty one back to confirm that he's received it. On a side note, instead of sending me a postcard or picture, he sends me the link ( and yes, only the link ) of the hotel they're staying at on holidays .Grietje Dw

My mom was taking her computer into Best Buy to get it serviced. One of the guys at the counter offered to help her pick it up and jokingly said "whew, your computer is really heavy!" My mother responded, "I know! I have a lot of pictures on it."Tristan Moore